Data from EMD Serono’s Oncology Portfolio Highlight Significant Advances in Cancer Care at ASCO21

Not intended for UK-based media New analyses from pivotal BAVENCIO® study reinforce unique clinical benefits across different subgroups in the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma New data from VISION study of TEPMETKO® show association between liquid biopsy-identified biomarker and clinical response in METex14 skipping NSCLC, supporting liquid biopsy as a means for monitoring treatment response TEPMETKO® shows efficacy in METex14 skipping NSCLC patients with brain metastases consistent with overall treatment population Rockland, MA, US, May 19, 2021 — EMD Serono, the Healthcare business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the US and Canada, today announced 40 abstracts, including seven oral presentations and seven poster discussions, from Company- and investigator-sponsored studies (ISS) and external collaborations, representing the Company’s innovative oncology portfolio will be presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 4-8, 2021. “Important new analyses from our pivotal studies in urothelial cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, which have led to recent regulatory approvals for BAVENCIO® (avelumab) and TEPMETKO® (tepotinib) in these tumor types, demonstrate how our research continues to drive forward new standards of care in certain cancers with high unmet medical need,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, M.D., Global Head of Development for the Healthcare business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “These analyses, along with additional data informing the understanding of new and emerging mechanisms under investigation, are the latest examples of our dedication to advancing the science of cancer treatment to make a meaningful difference for patients.” The Company’s research programs, focused on synergistic approaches in immuno-oncology, oncogenic pathways, and DNA damage response (DDR), aim to tackle some of the most challenging tumor types, including urothelial cancer (UC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and cervical cancer (CC). KEY DATA HIGHLIGHTS AT ASCO BAVENCIO (avelumab) Data across three approved indications for BAVENCIO (avelumab) provide further evidence of continued patient benefit: Advanced urothelial cancer (presentations: 4520, 4525, 4527). New analyses from the Phase III JAVELIN Bladder 100 study demonstrated consistent survival benefit of BAVENCIO (avelumab) as first-line maintenance treatment across key subgroups including those defined by the treatment-free interval from the end of chemotherapy to the start of maintenance, disease stage, site of metastasis, or genomic subtype. These data further reinforce the role of BAVENCIO for patients with advanced UC that have not progressed on 1L platinum-containing chemotherapy. Advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) (presentations: 4514, 4574). Data from the extended follow-up of the Phase III JAVELIN Renal 101 study explored the effects of subsequent therapies on outcomes for patients with aRCC treated with BAVENCIO (avelumab) plus axitinib and confirmed the efficacy benefits of the combination across International Metastatic RCC Data Consortium (IMDC) risk groups including in the favorable risk group. Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (mMCC) (presentation: 9517). In previously treated patients with metastatic MCC (mMCC), treatment with BAVENCIO (avelumab) provided meaningful long-term overall survival (OS), based on more than five years of follow-up in Part A of the Phase II JAVELIN Merkel 200 study with 48- and 60-month OS rates 30% (95% CI, 20%-40%) and 26% (95% CI, 17%-36%), respectively. These results further support the role of avelumab as a standard-of-care treatment for patients with mMCC. TEPMETKO (tepotinib) ASCO highlights for TEPMETKO (tepotinib) include new data from the Phase II VISION study: METex14 NSCLC biomarker response detected in liquid biopsy (LBx) abstract (oral presentation: 9012). In this analysis, reduction in variant allele frequency following tepotinib treatment was related to an improved treatment outcome. Further, this investigation provides evidence that liquid biopsy may provide a reliable means for monitoring response to treatment, understanding resistance mechanisms, and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. METex14 skipping NSCLC with brain metastases (presentation: 9084). Data demonstrated efficacy in patients with mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 (METex14) skipping NSCLC with brain metastases consistent with the overall treatment population, complemented by intracranial activity in an ad hoc retrospective analysis of brain lesions determined by CT/MRI. Brain metastases are reported in 20% to 40% of patients with METex14 skipping NSCLC and are associated with poor prognosis. NSCLC with MET amplification (METamp) (presentation: 9021). Clinical activity observed in VISION Cohort B, the first study of a MET inhibitor in people with NSCLC with METamp prospectively detected by liquid biopsy, showed the potential of tepotinib to target METamp-driven disease, particularly in the treatment-naïve setting where there is high unmet need. MET amplification is a genetic alteration occurring in approximately 1% to 5% of patients with NSCLC and has no approved targeted therapies. Tepotinib is also being investigated in two ongoing studies, which are currently recruiting patients: INSIGHT 2 (Presentation: TPS9136), assessing the combination of osimertinib and tepotinib in patients with epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant NSCLC that has developed resistance to first-line osimertinib treatment due to MET amplification; and PERSPECTIVE (Presentation: TPS3616), evaluating tepotinib in combination with cetuximab in mCRC having acquired resistance to anti-EGFR antibody-targeted therapy due to MET amplification. Bintrafusp alfa (M7824) Data for bintrafusp alfa, an investigational bifunctional fusion protein, continue to shed light on the potential benefits of dual inhibition of the TGF-β and PD-L1 pathways: Recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer (oral presentation: 5509). A pooled analysis of data from the Phase I INTR@PID Solid Tumor 001 study and a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-led Phase II study demonstrated that bintrafusp alfa monotherapy has a manageable safety profile and clinical activity in patients with platinum-pretreated, immune checkpoint inhibitor-naïve recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer. HPV 16+ advanced malignancies (oral presentation: 2501). Data from this NCI-led Phase II clinical study of patients with advanced HPV 16+ cancers provided early evidence of the clinical activity of a triple combination of bintrafusp alfa, NHS-IL12 and PDS0101, with a manageable safety profile. EMD Serono is a science-led organization dedicated to delivering transformative medicines with the goal of making a meaningful difference in the lives of people affected by cancer. Our oncology research efforts aim to leverage our synergistic portfolio in oncogenic pathways, immuno-oncology, and DNA Damage Response (DDR) to tackle challenging tumor types in gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and thoracic cancers. Our curiosity drives our pursuit of treatments for even the most complex cancers, as we work to illuminate a path to scientific breakthroughs that transform patient outcomes.

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